Football 8/30/2025 3:30:00 PM Chris Brannick

Bronchos Fall In Opener

Central Oklahoma Loses 34-14 At UT Permian Basin In 2025 Season Opener

MIDLAND, Texas – Central Oklahoma sputtered in its 2025 season opener and lost 34-14 at Texas Permian Basin in a non-conference matchup.

UCO (0-1) will make its home debut next week, hosting Pittsburg State (0-1) Saturday, Sept. 6 at Chad Richison Stadium.

Central Oklahoma outgained Permian Basin 376-361, but an 11-1 disadvantage in penalties forced UCO into tough positions throughout the game.

Jett Huff went 14-for-34 with 169 yards and two touchdowns. William Mason led the rushing attack with nine carries for 107 yards and one touchdown. Jaylen Cottrell added eight carries for 50 yards and one touchdown. Jack Puckett led the defensive effort with seven tackles, including one for a loss. Cameron Done added six stops.

UCO managed four sacks in the game. Done, Reese Roller, Darius Hampton, and Wesley Hudson were each credited with one sack in the game.

Central Oklahoma started the game with a three & out on defense and and had a good drive going on offense before a penalty stalled the drive. The Bronchos ended up down 7-0 after a 97-yard scoring drive by Permian Basin and the struggle to get going was on.

The Bronchos had a two-play drive end in an interception, then back-to-back three & outs totaling two yards. Central finally found the end zone late in the second quarter. Mason darted out of the backfield for a career-long 71-yard rush and was eventually pushed out of bounds at the UTPB four-yard line. Mason rushed again quickly and found the end zone, cutting into the 10-0 deficit to make it 10-7 with 7:35 to play in the first half.

The Bronchos had one more three & out, then put together a 10-play, 53-yard drive to setup a late field goal, but UCO missed a 50-yard field goal attempt in the final moments of the first half and went to the locker room down 13-7.

In the third quarter, UCO came out firing and put together another big, quick scoring drive. Cottrell found space and ran a 35-yard touchdown pass to cap off the 5-play, 73-yard scoring drive that put Central up 14-13 with 13:20 to play in the third quarter.

UTPB then turned the tide, putting together a bursting 14-0 run. The host Falcons scored and converted a two-point conversion to take a 21-14 lead with 4:44 to play in the third, then after a three & out by the Bronchos, Permian Basin scored to go up 28-14 with 3:53 left to play.

Scoring twice in less than two minutes put the pressure back on the Bronchos and Huff threw his second interception of the game to give it back to the Falcons again. Permian Basin converted a 44-yard field goal to make it 31-14 and that's how the game went to the fourth quarter.

Permian Basin did all it needed to in the final stanza, keeping UCO's offense at bay and working the clock at every effort. A field goal by UTPB from 24-yards out with 1:00 left in the game made it the final, 34-14.

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Players Mentioned

#0 Jaylen Cottrell: RB; 6' 2"; Junior

#93 Wesley Hudson: DL; 6' 3"; Sophomore

#22 William Mason: RB; 6' 2"; Sophomore

#30 Jack Puckett: LB; 6' 1"; Sophomore

#33 Reese Roller: LB; 5' 10"; Sophomore

#2 Jett Huff: QB; 5' 8"; Sophomore

#17 Darius Hampton: DL; 6' 3"; Junior

#5 Cameron Done: DL; 6' 5"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#0 Jaylen Cottrell
: 6' 2"; Junior
: RB

#93 Wesley Hudson
: 6' 3"; Sophomore
: DL

#22 William Mason
: 6' 2"; Sophomore
: RB

#30 Jack Puckett
: 6' 1"; Sophomore
: LB

#33 Reese Roller
: 5' 10"; Sophomore
: LB

#2 Jett Huff
: 5' 8"; Sophomore
: QB

#17 Darius Hampton
: 6' 3"; Junior
: DL

#5 Cameron Done
: 6' 5"; Junior
: DL